Fascinating Places Described in “Exploring the Wilds of West Virginia”

A New World Emerges at Summersville Lake 

When the Corps lowers the water to winter levels at Summersville Lake, fascinating landscapes emerge. Nestled in the woodlands of West Virginia, an island of dry, desiccated, desert-like scenes arise from the once water-covered land. 

Long Point

Beautiful Boulders

Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice are bold, beautiful, snow-white boulders of all shapes and sizes. The rocks are rough and angular and piled chaotically. It’s like a scene from another world. The rocks are brilliant white because they’re below the water level during the summer and being submerged for so much of the year, they aren’t stained by the oxidation and weathering of iron-bearing minerals. So the rocks are in their most pristine state. 

Long Point

Stunning Cliffs

These beautiful boulders have fallen from the gorgeous cliffs that circle Summersville Lake. Long Point stands out like a stone fortress. It’s a photographer’s delight presenting dramatic poses from several viewpoints. At Pirate’s Cove a waterfall pours over the cliffs, and at Whippoorwill trees precariously cling to the cliffs. 

Long Point

Phantom Forests

You’ll also notice tree stumps poking up between the boulders. The stumps were left when the Corps cleared the slopes of the lake in the early 1960's prior to filling it. Since all the soil has been winnowed away by the waters of the lake, the roots of the trees have been laid bare and resemble the arms of an octopus. The textures of the tree stumps are fascinating, too. The bark is gone, but the wood beneath is not rotten. Rather it’s dried, cracked, and desiccated and either chocolate brown or silver gray in color. A cluster of these old tree stumps looks like a phantom forest. 

Pirate's Cove

Three Handy Access Points

So how do you see these unusual sights? Three handy access points are described in “Exploring the Wilds of West Virginia.” One is Long Point, which is reached by a 1.75 mile trail that starts near the archery range at the lake. Second is near Pirate’s Cove. The trailhead is just north of the US 19 bridge crossing the lake. And the third is off Whippoorwill Road just south of the bridge. All three hikes are described in detail in the book.

Whippoorwill

As I mentioned, the terrain below the water level at the lake resembles a desert. The rocks are bare and craggy, and the vegetation is sparse. If you didn’t know better, you might think you were in Arizona or New Mexico. But for West Virginia, it truly is a new world.

Pirate's Cove

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